BJD to support NDA candidate for RS Deputy Chair's post

Bhubaneswar, Aug 8 (IANS) Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said that his party will support the NDA canidate Harivansh Narayan Singh in the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson's election on Thursday.

"We will support Janata Dal-United candidate for the Rajya Sabha post," the Chief Minister told reporters after arriving here from Mumbai.

He confirmed that he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah a few days erlier regarding the election.

The BJD support is important as both the UPA and NDA don't have a majority in the upper house. the BJD has nine MPs in the Rajya Sabha. 

The opposition parties have fielded Congress MP B.K. Hariprasad.